Warning light for vehicles



J. D. KENNELLY 2,456,287

WARNING LIGHT FOR VEHICLES Dec. 14, 1948.

Filed Fb. l, 1947 i Km Patented Dec. 14, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE:

WARNING LIGHT FOR VEHICLES Jeremiah D. Kennelly, Oak Park, 111. Application February 1, 194?, Serial No. 725,825

- This invention relates to signal apparatus, and is-particularly useful as a signaling or warning device for use on emergency vehicles, trucks, railway "cars, etc.

An effective signaling or warning by an emergency vehicle, etc., is becoming increasingly difficult because of thelarge number of multicolored lights and moving lights encountered in the usual commercialstreet of a city. At the same time, is extremely important that quick recognition of an emergency vechicle be obtained and the streets promptly cleared so that it can proceed without delay to its destination. 7

An object of the present invention is to provide a signal device of unique structure which invites immediate attention and which produces prompt recognition of' the emergency character of the vehicle. A further object is to provide a mechanism in which there are produced multiple movements of a light-projecting device, the movements being faster in one direction than in another during the operation theredf 'and producing the impression that the vehicle is moving rapidly in the mind of the observer ahead'of the vehicle. Yet another object is to providea compact unitary device in which multiple movements of a lightprojecting device are produced so as to bring about new and effective warning efiects. Other specific objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds.

The invention is illustrated, in a preferred embodiment, by the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure l is a side view in elevation and a partly vertical sectional view of apparatus embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a transverse sectional detail View, the section being taken as indicated at line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3, a diagrammatic view showing the pattern of movement followed by the light-projecting device.

In the illustration given, designates a casing provided at its front with a lens-supporting ring I! and carrying a lens [2.

Within the casing I0 is a bracket ring l3 provided with rearwardly-extending lugs M and I5. The lugs l4 and I5 are apertured to receive the pivot pins l6 threadedly fixed to the casing ll). With this arrangement, the ring I3 is supported for lateral movement, swinging upon the pivot pins Hi.

The ring bracket I3 is provided centrally and on diametrically opposite sides thereof with rearwardly-extending bosses ll apertured to receive pivot pins I8. The pivot pins I8 are carried by rearwardly-extending ears l9 fixed to a reflector 3 Claims. (01. 177-329) supporting ring 20, Fixed to the ring 20 is the reflector 29 carrying a light bulb socket 22. A light bulb 23 is carried within socket Z2 and current is supplied tothe bulb 23 through flexible lead connections 24. With the arrangement just described, the reflector 2i swings upon the horizontal pivot pins 18 for vertical movement, while the ring bracket l3 to which the reflector structure is pivoted swings laterally upon the vertical pins I6. I I

To the rear wall of the casing I0 is secured a casing member 25 and the casing member supports upon it the motor 25, The motor shaft 2 extends downwardly through the casing and is provided at its end with a w0rm'28; Theshaft 2! is also fixed to a worm gear 29; The worm 28 meshes directly with a worm 30carried by the horizontal shaft 3l-and driving at its outer end a disk 32: Eccentrically mounted upon the disk 32 is a drive pin 33 pivotally secured to the drive arm 34. Thedrive arm 34 is connected by'a ball and socket joint 35"to a bracket arm 36 fixed to the lower end of the ring l3. Thus upon rotation of shaft 3!, aforward and backward movement of arm-'Misproduced and thering bracket I3 is caused to rotate about pins Hi.

The Worm gear 29, which is also carried by the motor shaft 27, meshes with the worm 31 on the horizontal shaft 38. The shaft 38 carries a driving disk 39 upon which is eccentrically mounted the pin 40. Drive arm 4| is connected to the pin 42 carried by an angular arm extension 43 of the reflector ring 20. Thus movement of the arm 4! produces a movement of the lever 43 and causes the reflector 2| to tilt forwardly and backwardly,

In the worm and gear structure illustrated, the worm 30 is driven directly by the worm on shaft 27, while the second worm 31 is driven at a much faster speed by means of the greater radius of the worm gear 29. Thus the rotation of the motor shaft 21 produces a slow reciprocation of arm 34 and a rapid reciprocation of arm 34. The result is that the light-projecting means, namely the light bulb or reflector 2 l, follows the pattern indicated by the lines 44 in Fig. 3. The lines 44 in Fig. 3 indicate that the reflector or light bulb moves upwardly and downwardly seven times while the reflector is being moved laterally a single time. In other words, there are multiple oscillations in the vertical plane during a single oscillation in the lateral plane. It will be understood that the casing l0 may be set in a variety of different positions upon a vehicle so that the oscillations in one direction greatly exceed the Oscillations in another, and such oscillations may be in oblique or angular positions as well'as in truly vertical and horizontal planes.

The new effect of the multiple or rapid movements of the light-projecting device in one direction during a slow or single movement of the device in another direction is that there is produced upon the eye of the observer well ahead of the vehicle an immediate impression that the vehicle ris -approaching rapidly: I The; rapid': vertical swinging of the bulb and' r'eflectonwhile at the same time being inched laterally in one direction or the other, produces a varying light efiectx that is sensed by the observer tO-bfiilhfi result, of great speed. In other words, each vertical swinging of the device, accompanied byzaslightzlateral? movement for a few degreeshcombines with the. next vertical movement of thedevice inproducing the eflect that speed is causing a slight difference, in the light beams projected. As a result, the observers .iniront of the-device quickly respond to the warning light,-realizing, that it is not an ordinary moving light-encountered in a city thoroughfare, andigive. theemergency vehicle right-.of-wayn Whilelhave shown-asingle structure with considerable, detailslforthe purpose of illustrating one embodimentof the invention, it will be under- StoodLthat suchdetailsmay be varied widely by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of.- m n-invention.v

Ima r lrlnwarninglight apparatus, a-casing open .ati'one end, alens in the open endof said casing, ,a lightprojecting,-device-within said casing for andlalconnecting, arm I driven by said motor and engaging ,saidlightlprojecting device for oscillat ing the same rapidly in an up and down direction whereby a relatively large number of vertical oscillations of said light projecting device are made during one lateral movement of said bracket.

2. In warning light apparatus, a casing open at one end, a lens in said casing, a light source equipped with a reflector mounted in said casin a bracket member, pivot pins supporting said ,refiectorin said-lbrackettmember-for' oscillation in vsaidicasing, and arms connecting said discs to said reflector and said bracket, said discs being rotatedzatdifierent speeds to produce a number of vertical oscillations of said reflector for a single oscillation of said-* bracket support.

, 3; In warning light apparatus, a casing having an opening at one end; a lens in said opening, a motor mounted-in said.casingand driving a motor shaft, eccentrics driven by said motor shaft, connections betweensaideccentrics and said shaft for driving one of said eccentrics at a higher speed than the other, H a; bracket member, pivotally mountedrinsaid casing. for lateralmovement, a lighteequipped reflector pivotally'mounted-in said bracketfor vertical movement, a connecting arm between the more rapidly moving eccentric and said. reflector, r and a. connecting arm between. the more slowly moving eccentric andsaid bracket member whereby said light isoscillated in a vertical plane several times while being oscillated a. singlev time in thehorizontal plane.

JEREMIAH D. KENNELLY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references. areof record in the file-of thisipatent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number. 

